rodriguez



1,634 340 1927' R. RODRIGUEZ SOUND AMPLIFYING INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 20. 1924 2 ShootlSheet J.

R IN VEN TOR dam/7t 0 ATTORNEZS 1,634,340 R. RODRIGUEZ I v scum) AMPLIFYING INSTRUMENT July 5, 1927.

Filed Aug. 20, 1924 Z Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED; STATESPATENT OFFICE.

RAMON RODRIGUEZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SOUND-AMPLIFYING INSTRUMENT.

Application filed August 20, 1924.

utilized for amplifying radio reception or incther words as a radio loud speaker. The invention contemplates also asimple arrangement whereby the instrun'ient may be changed at will from a phonograph to a radio amplifier. Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accoi'npanying drawings, which illustrate an example of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. l is a plan view partly broken away, of an instrument in cluding the novel features; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on the same line showing the parts in another position and Fig. l is a detail view of a shutoff device forming part of the arrangement.

The instrument comprises the customary casing 10 of suitable form and dimensions and including the usual rotatable record table 11 which when the instrument is used as a phonograph, is driven in the conventional manner by means of suitable driving mechanism; the latter has been omitted to avoid complication of the drawings and in practice will be arranged in the instrument in any well-known manner. A starting and stopping device 12 eo-operating with the record table 11 to control the operation of the latter is located and operated in the conventional way; such other features as are commonly found in phonographs'may also be included in the present construction. In addition, the instrument is provided with the customary tone-arm 13 adapted to carry the reproducer whereby a given record is reproduced, said tone-arm being mounted upon the casing 10 to swing across said record in the well-known way. The tone-arm 13 is located in registry with an opening 1% in the casing 10, said opening, in turn, being in communication with the customary am plifying horn 15 which, as shown in Fig. 1, is fixed within the casing 10, as usual, so to open to the exterior of the instrument. The instriunent and all of its parts as so Serial No. 733,046.

ar described may be of any recognized or special construction.

As shown in the drawings, the amplifying horn 15 is provided near its inlet end with a relatively thicker section 16 in. which a branch passage 17 is located so as to have its inner end in connection with the interior of said amplifying horn 15. The outer end of said passage 17 is normally closed by means of a shut-bit member or flap 1S hinged at 19 and automatically maintained in and returned to the closed position shown 111 Fig. 2, by means of a suitable spring 18 the member or flap 18 opens inwardly into the passage 17 against the tension of said spring 1S and in its fully open position is located within a recess 20, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to lie flush with said passage 17. A tubular fixture 21 is secured in the casing 10 and has its outer end exposed and constructed to accommodate a radio loud speaker unit 22 of any conventional type,

which is connected by wires 23 with the radio receiving apparatus in the usual way. The nxtnre l depends into said casing 10 and has its mner end 24 projecting toward and located in amal registry with the passage 1( a connecting tube 25 is slidably moan ed in the inner end 2% of said fixture 21 and is ad ustable to connect the latter with said passage 17 and to disconnect it therefrom. Any suitable mechanism, capable of beine readily manipulated may be provided fo l operating the connecting tube 25; in the illustrated example the aforesaid mechanism comprises a rigid frame consisting of a plate 26 fixed upon the tube 25 and a companion plate 27 connected with the first plate by means of rods 28. The rigid frame, which constitutes a support for the connecting tube 1s slidable in the direction of the axis of said connecting tube 25, for instance, by slidablyunounting the rods 28 in bearings 2f) forming part of or secured to the end of the fixture 21 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; suitable stops 30 and 31 are provided upon the rods 28 to arrest the sliding movements thereof in opposite directions relatively to the bearings 29. The aforesaid frame can ries a rack 82 arran ed in mesh with a pinion 33 which is fixed upon a shaft 34:; the latter is journalled inbearings 35 mounted in the casing 10 at the proper points and is providedwitha second. pinion 36, which meshes with a pinion 37 secured upon a companion shaft 38 journalled in one of the bearings 35 and in the front wall of the easing as shown in Fig. 1. At its outer end the shaft 38 is provided with a knob or head 39 for facilitating the operation of the parts 3' in the form of the invention shown in the drawings the rack 32 with the frame on which it is mounted and the 1 31'n1ons33, 36,

37, shafts 34, 38 and the knob 39, constitute the mechanism whereby the connecting tube is operated, 1t being understood that such mechanism may vary in detailsand-arrangemcnt andleven in operation without affecting' the efficiency of the device As shown in Fig. 2' the plate 26 18 extended upwa'rdly'a'nd is pivotally connected at 40 with a control slide 41' mounted in a suitable guideway 41" between the inlet end of the amplifying horn 1:5- and the opening 14 which is in communication with the tonearm 13; the slide 41 is provided with an aperture 42 arranged to register with said opening 14 and the inlet end of the horn 15 when the parts are in theadiustment shown in Fig.2 and to be out ofregistry therewith when the parts occupy the position shown in- Fig. 3. lllre arrangement is such that the aperture 42 willregister with 'the opening 14'and horn 15 when the connecting tube 25 is disconnected from the passage. 17 and will be out of registry with p phonograph; while the slide 41 is a desirable feature of the invention it is not indispensable and in some cases may boomitted.

As shown in the'illustrated example thecontrol slide 41 may further be connected,

by means of a link 43, with a' lever 44 pivoted at 45 in the casing 10 and extending upwardly through a slot 46 in the top wall 7 thereof as shown in Fig. 2; a head or eu-uivzu lent device 47 is fixed upon the projecting end of said lever 44 for manipulating the same. The lever 44 may be used as'ubstitute for the head 39 and its cooperating elements, for adjusting the slide 41- and the connecting tube 25; in some cases the con neotion 40'between the slide 41 and'the plate 26 may be omitted so that the slide 41 may be adjusted by the lever 44 independently of the connecting tube 25 and: latter in such case. may he adjustedindependently off the slide. The latter, under such conditions, may also be used to regulate the, volume of sound and to modify and modulate the same when the instrument is functioning as a. phono raph, It will further be understood that the lever 44 may, if desired be omitted, in which case the actuationof theparts would be accomplished entirely through the medium of the head 39 and its associated elements of the equivalents thereof.

During-the playing of the customary phonograph recorcl,.that is when the instrument is being used as a phonograph, the parts occupy the position shown in Fig. 1 in which the aperture 42 of the control slide 41 is in registry with the opening 14 andthe communication between the toneearm 1'3 and the amplifying horn 15 is consequently open. At the same time the connecting tube25 is disconnected from 1 the passage 17 so that the amplifying born 15 is discorme'cted from V the loud-speaker. unit 22 and the shut-off member or device 18 is in its closed position so that escape of sound throughusaid passage17 isprevented.

henit is desired to utilize the instrument for amplifying radio reception. or in other words asa loudspeaker, the knob 39 is 1'0 tated' to the right in Fig. 1 whereby the shaft- 38 and its pinion 37 are similarly actuatedand the pinion 36, shaft 34 and pinion 33 are rotated in the opposite direction or toward the left in F 1'.

connecting tube 25 comes into contact with the device or member 18 it will swing the same intothe passage 1'? against the tensionofthc spring 18 until said device 18, in-

the final position of theconnecting tube 25, reaches'the recess 20 and thus has fhish uuthi the passage 17 andnpresents no interference to the positioning of said connectingtube. therein. At the same time the movement of the parts will be communicated, through the medium of the plate 26 and connection.

40' to the control slide 41, which a result will be shifted to the position: shown in Fig. 3 in which the aperture 42 is out of registry with the opening 14 and communication between the tone-arm 13 andainplifyinghorn. '15 is cut off; passage of sound backward into the tone-arm is consequently prevented. To disconnect the amplifying horn 15 from theradio and to. restore tlie'partsto the positions shown in Fig. 1 the-knob 39 isrotated in the opposite direction, or toward. the left in Fig.1 which operates the pinions and shafts in a nannerto shift the rack 32 toward the right in Fig 2 and thereby withdraw the connecting tube 25 from the pas- I 7 This operation of I the pinion 33 will shift the rack 32 to the sage 17 and thus break the connection between the amplifying horn 15 and the fixture 21 and loud speaker unit 22; as the tube 25 is thus operated the member or device 18, by the action of the spring 18 will be caused to follow the same until finally, as the disconnection is completed, said member will again occupy its closed position to close the outer end of said passage 17. Escape oi sound through the latter is thereby again ettectively prevented. As the described operations take place, the plate 26 will cause the control-slide 41 to be shifted back toward the right in Fig. 2, until the aperture 42 is again in registry with the opening 14 and the connection between the tone-arm 13 and horn 15 is again open. The movements of the elements in the manner set forth are arrested at the proper points by the respective engagement of the stops 30 and 31 with the bearings 29 from opposite directions. Instead of adjusting the parts by means of the head 39 and its cooperating elements, the same results may be obtained by swinging the lever 44 first to the left and then to the right in Fig. 2. i v

In any case the inlet end oi the amplify ing horn 15 and the exit end of the tone-arm 13 are in fixed registry with each other and the control slide or device 41 whereby communication between these elements is controlled is movable relatively to said tonearm and horn. Similarly the inlet end of the branch passage 17 and the exit ends of the tubular fixture 21 and the stationary loud-speaker unit 22 are in fixed relation to each other and the connecting tube 25, whereby communication between saidbranch passage 17 and the loud speaker unit is controlled, is adj us' table relatively to said tubular fixture 21 and horn 15. In the preferred arrangement the control slide .or device 41 and the connecting tube 25 are concurrently operated in inverse relation by mechanism accessible from the exterior of the casing 10 so that when communication between the horn and tone arm is established the connection between the horn and the loud speaker will be broken.

The invention. provides a simple and etlicient mechanism whereby the amplifying properties of instruments of the indicated class may be utilized in connection with radio reception without interfering with the eficiency of the instrument as a phonograph. lVhen connected and arranged as in the illustrated example the switcl'iing oi the instrument from a phonograph to a radio loud speaker and vice versa is automatically accomplished without requiring independent operation of any of the parts. As previously set forth the connection betwe-enthe slide 41 and the plate 26 may be omitted in which case the slide 41 and the connecting tube 25 may be independently manipulated,

It is a recognized fact that present day phonographs constitute ideal instruments for amplifying radio reception and for presenting it in a natural manner and tree from distortion. The present invention provides a simple and eflicient mechanism whereby the indicated properties of such instruments are made easily available for radio purposes.

Various changes in the specific form shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. The combination of a phonograph tonearm, a radio loud speaker unit, an amplify ing horn having a branch passage, the latter being arranged for connection with said radio loud speaker unit, controlling means whereby communication between said tonearm and horn and between the branch passage of the latter and said loud speaker unit is established and disestablished in inverse relation, and independent means for auto matically closing said branch passage when its communication with said loud speaker unit is disestablished. l

2. The combination oi? a casing, a stationary amplifying horn therein provided with a branchpassagc, mechanism, including a tone-arm. monnte'd in said casing for repro ducing phonograph records, the inlet end of the horn and the exit end of the tonearm being in fixed registry with each other, a stationary tubular-fixture in said casing for receiving a radio loud-speaker unit, a device .adjustably mounted in said casing ior controlling the connection between said tone-arm and horn, a connecting tube adjustably mounted in said casing and arranged to co-operate with said branch pas- 'sage for controlling the connection between said horn and loudspeaker unit and mecha nism accessible from the exterior of the casing for manipulating said device and said connecting tube at will.

3. The combination of a casing, mechanism for reproducing phonograph records mounted therein, a tubular fixture secured upon said casing for receiving a radio loud speaker unit, an amplifying horn "in said casing and a connecting tube adjustably mounted in said casing "for connecting said horn with said unit and disconnecting it therefrom, support or said tube slidably mounted on said tubular fixture and mechanism operatively connected with said support and accessible from the exterior of the casing for manipulating said connecting tube.

4. The combination of a casing, mechanism for reproducing phonogaph records mounted therein, a tubular hxture secured upon said casing for receiving a radio loud speaker unit, an amplit'ying horn in said casin j and a connecting tube adjustably mounted in said casing for connecting said horn iii) ill)

ilfi

with said unit and disconnecting it there-' trout, a support ion. said tube. slidably m noted on saidtubulariinture, carriedby said support, a pinion n ieshing with said rack and. operating means for, actu:

atingsaid pinion to manipulate said connecting tube,

5.-'lhe'combination of a casin mechanism, ior reproducingv phonogiiaph. records mounted therein, a tubular iiiiture secured uponsaidcasing for receiving a radio loud,

iii)

lever, is, operated.

speaker unit, an amplifying. horn'in said shaft; journalled in said casing] and extend:

ing exteriorly thereof and ahead connected with, said companion shaft for operating the same.

6. 'llhe combination of a casing, mechanism j reproducing phonograph records mount 1? therein, a tubular fixture secured upon said casing for receiving a radio loud speaker unit, an amplifying horn in, said casingand a connecting. tube adjustahly mountedin said casing for connecting said horn with said unit and disconnecting it therefrom, a support for said tube slidably mounted on said tubular fixture, a'lever piv otally mounted 1n sa d casing and a connection from said lever tosaid support whereby said connect ng tube is manlpulatedas said 7. ICh-e combination of a casing, l nechanisnr for reproduc ng phendearaph records mounted therein, a tubular fixture, secured v upon said casing for receiving radio loud speaker unit, an amplifying horn 1n ,sa1d cas ng. and connectlng tube adjustably' mounted in said ca g t onn t ng aid eorn with said unlt and disconnect ng t t ierei-ron'i, a support for said tube slldably mounted on said tubular fixture, a rack carried by said support, a pinion, meshing with said rack, a shaftjournalled in said casing and carrying said pinion, a, second pinion mounted on said shaft, a third pinion meshing with said second pinion, a companion shaft journalledr in said casing andexterulins; exterio 'ly thereof and a head connected with said companion shaft for operating the same, a lever pivotally mounted in said casing and connection from said leverto saidsup mrt whereby said connecting tube is manipulated as said lever is operated.

8. The combination of a, cas ng, mechafor i'eP d m e phono a h/ at twice theme, a ub r fii ee e ied upon said, casing for: receiving, ara'dio loud speaker unit, an amplifying horn in said cas ing and a c nne tin 'tube adjustably mount ed in said casing 511: connecting saidl horn with said unit and"disconnecting"it there- 70 from, a support for said tube slidably dividuel p ng. mec anism. tat y conn t with ai suppor an th tim s! sible' froijn theexterior said casi o The. comb nation of af a ingi mee e: nis n, including a tonearm-ior reproducing phonog aph er mo te i said si g, a stationary tubular fixture secured upon said casing for receiving. a radio loud speaker t l l ng 1te ev s id casing it-1 ing passages al ran'ged for connection'wit-h a d to armi and, a d tu la ture speotively and bearing a'fizgedjrelationto the ex t nds f ai t ne-arm. and tu uler W a slide movable e t vely tO't ih ian e am. f r eontr lieehe nn on between said amplifying horn and the tonearm, a, connecting tube Ino yable: relatively t the horn and tubular fixtu f coritfolling the connection between said amplifying horn, and the tubularfi zgture. and mechanism accessible frointhe enteriorfo'f the casing for Si ult ne u ly per tinga d sli a d nlfle ing u to u O f the Conn ct on etween the. 'QQn -arrn and the'horn and to establish communication between the latter and thetubular fixtu le 'el' d vice versa.

The c m atl e o e ewes e anisml including a tonerar n ior'reproducing p o graph e ords. m unt d aid casing, a tubular fixture secured upon saidcasing for lieceiying a; radio loud speakerunit, an ampli yin here n a ca i o n to e ee-aam, and a d Whale t me? 9 sl de o ro g hev ee one' t nr etw en said e min a h one-ewe o nec ube ee ro ie ths eeene t on' betwQfiHSgiidf amplifying horn and the tubular fixture, a support for said tube slidly m nte on sa d, t bulerfi tu ee n? motion between said slide and said support ttiliCiIIlQOllfllllSlfi accessible from the exterior of the casing for operating said support to nmlta eously a tuate se 1 d? a d, a

a dns tub 111' ma tel? to dise nn ct t e ampl f e be from th tone-arm nd connect it with the tubular fixture and vice 'ersa.

I 11. The combination of a phonograph 120 ton rm, a: r i ud peaker un an Pl he aving a h e- 1 pa sage th outer end ofwhich is located the wall of a d horn, normal y in} i enee ed re e iq w h id rad l ad speaker uni wn rblne means e eb em eue at i between said tone-arm and horn and between the branch Passa o t e lat er d Said loud speak raeit s esta i hed and sestebl sj ed reverse relation, and an automatically acting flap member located in exposed position upon said wall of the horn for automatically closing said branch passage when its connection with said loud speaker unit is broken.

12. The combination of a phonograph tone-arm, a radio loud speaker unit, a tubular fixture leading therefrom, an amplifying horn having a branch passage terminating in spaced relation tosaid tubular fixture controlling means whereby communication between said tone arm and horn is established and disestablished, controlling means whereby connection between opposed ends of said branch passage and tubular fix- 15 passage for automatically closing the same 20 when its connection with said tubular fixture is broken.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

RAMON RODRIGUEZ. 

